TapJets mobile app allows you to fly on your own jet without breaking the bank

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Thursday, July 19, 2018
FLY LIKE A BALLER: Board your own private jet for less
FLY LIKE A BALLER: Board your own private jet for less

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's no secret that renting your own private jet is pricey and more expensive than commercial flights.

But a relatively new booking app is making it a little more palatable for the everyday traveler, to be in a class of their own.

Imagine bypassing TSA security lines and not having to wait 30 minutes for everyone to board the plane. Just pull up to the airport, walk through the terminal, board, and take off within minutes.

"You get the whole aircraft to yourself," explained Stephanie Rodriguez with TapJets.

It's the perfect way to fly if you want that baller lifestyle.

"We've flown rappers and really high end preachers," said TapJets pilot Monica Westfell. "And they come with the entourage and the Gucci bags. So we definitely see a lot of that."

But let's face it, not everyone's a baller.

"But then there's the dad and mom who were just trying to get to their daughter's graduation," Westfell recalled.

So a relatively new app has made the idea of booking private jets somewhat affordable, by streamlining the booking process and cutting out the brokers.

"It cuts out a lot of the re-position costs and a lot of other brokers do have to charge," Rodriguez explained.

For example, a private jet from Houston to Miami could go for around $20,000.

But according to David Molina with TapJets, the app can save you thousands.

"It eliminates all the upcharge fees that brokers typically put on, and a one-way flight will probably cost around $12,000," Molina said.

There's also the opportunity to save even more.

"They can go on our auction portion of a website and pay for a leg that typically costs $20,000 for like a couple of thousand," Molina said.

This would be ideal if you're sharing the plane with a group of friends.

"We do get bachelor, bachelorette parties, at times, gone to Cancun or whatever, and they split it all up between their friends on the plane," said Rodriguez.

Think of it like a Priceline or Expedia for private jets. So if you want to fly the friendly skies like a rock star and maybe splurge just a little, it may be worth looking into.

"I like to consider ourselves a little bit of like the Kayak maybe or a search engine of that sort," Molina said.

Now keep in mind, even if you do split the price with a group of travelers or friends, it may cost you more than what you'd pay on a commercial flight. But the trade-off is no lines at the airport, and it's your own private jet. Something to consider for special occasions.

For more information on the app, you can visit TapJets here.